Separator for secondary batteries



J. O, LUTHY.

SEPARATOR FOR SECONDARY BATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29\ I919.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

JDSEPH O. LUTH 1', OIFSAN ANTONZU, TEXAS.

SEPARATOR FOR SECONDARY BATTERIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17,

application filed September 29. 1919. Eerial No. 327,195.

will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make anduse the same.

The invention relates to separators for secondary batteries and has forits objecl to provide a simple, cheap and etiicient form oil device forseparating and spacing the plates of secondary or storage batteries thatwill posses all'of the inherent advantages of the separators describedand claimed in my copcnding applications, Serial Nos. and 271,354, andwhich possesses the additional advantages of a simplified construction,a large saving'o'f the material required, and facilitates the operationsnecessary to build up or construct the scparaters. To these ends. theinvention comprises a separator which ,is made up of a se ries of stripsof celluloid or like material, which are superposed along longlludinaledges and provided with openings or t'clraminations adjacent the meetingedges, the

openings being protected by double liaugcs formed on one edge of eachplate in hipped relation to constitute a deflector forany activematerial froin the plates which may 85 work loose, but which will,nevertheless, per- Init free circulation of the electrolyte through theopenings.

In the accompanying d -awingsz' Figure 1 is a perspective view,part-lyin 10 section, of one form of the device.

Fig. :2 is a fragmentary perspective of a modification. Fig. 3 1S :1.similar view to that shown no -Fig. 2, illustrat ng a furthermodification.

Referring to Flg. 1, the numerals 1 indieats a series of longitudinalstrips of celluloid or like material winch are arranged edge to edge toconstitute a substantially dial; sheet which forms the separatorelement. The upper edge of the top strip and the lower edge of thebottom strip are preterably plain. The lower edge of each of thestrips,except the bottom strip, is provided with a double fold constituted byflanges 3 and 4, which are disposed inhipped relation along the entirelower marginal edge and constitute a deflector. 'l, he upper edge ofeach of the strips, except the uppermost, is provided with openings orforaminations, which may take. the form of have ings, as shown,serrations or holes cut through the body of ti e strip, or any cipnvalent form oi passages through the t l, which will leave all or aportion of the upper edge of the sheet lor engagement with the relntrant angular or trough-like recess formed by the l'langes 3 and 1, towhich the upper edge ol the subjacent sheet is secured by a suitablecementing agent, such as ainyl acetate, or the like. so that when theseveral strips are assembled and united, they constitntc a relativelythin but strong and durable separator element, which, when appliedbetween the battery plates, accuratch: spaces the latter to a minimumdistance apart and provides for a tree circulation of .the electrolytethrough the openings or torammagbut prevent any loose active matc rialwhich may be dislodged from the plates passing thcrethrough, as suchloose material will be deflected by the flanges 3 and and cau ed tosettle to the bottom of the container, and thereby prevent short-circuiting of the battery elements.

in order to render the separator rigid in a vertical direction, and tomake the same ol' sullicicnt thickness to properly space the batteryplates, each face of the separator provided with strengthening ribs orbattens 5, preferably made of celluloid or material of thesaniecharacter as the strip 1, which are provided with spacer blocks 6, (l,where they are united to the flat surface of the strips 1 and arecemented to the edges of the flanges 4: at intermediate points.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 2, the spacer elements takethe form of projections or bosses 5 which are pressed from oppositesides of the strips and extend a slight distance beyond the outer edgesor the flanges and at a sufiicicnt distance from the flat surfaces ofthe strips 1 to engage the -I"aces ofthe battery splates and space saidplates at proper intervals.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3. the marginal flanges on the loweredges of the strips 1, while preserving the .sa1ne hipped relation, areformed by a somewhat different arrangement than that shown in Figs. 1and 2. The flange 3 is'produced by bending the lower edge of the stripoutward at an angle of approximately 30 degrees, and

will be understood, of course, that the upper edges of all of .thestrips 1, except the uppermost, in the forms of the device shown inFigs. 2 and 8, are provided with openings or foraminations to admit freepassage of the electrolyte.

From the foregoing description, itwill be apparent that a deviceconstructed in accordance with this invention results in a material,saving in the substance of which the separators are formed, admits ofthe latter being constructed and assembled with a minimum of labor andproduces a highly eflicient separator that permits a free circulation ofthe electrolyte between the battery elements, but absolutely preventsthe passage of any solid material, such as disin- 'tegrated portions ofthe filling of the plates, which WOIlld tGIld to short-circuit thebattery elements, by causing such material to I be deflected at once tothe bottom of the container by means of the deflecting flanges formed onthe bottoms of the strip elements which constitute the separator. Itwill also be noted that the electrolyte is caused to change its coursein passing through the foraminated edges of the strips constituting theseparator by the flanges 3 and 4, so that should any solid material tendto follow the course of the electrolyte, the change of direction of flowof the latter would cause such solid ma'terialto be diverted anddirected against the imperforate face of the strip and ultimately tofind its way to the bottom of the container.

What I claim is d I. A separator comprising a series of stripssuperposed along longitudinal edges,

provided with openings adjacent the meeting edges, and deflectorsoverlying the openings. i a

2. A separator comprising a series of strips superposed alonglongitudinal edges, provided with o enings adjacent the meeting-edges,and anges forming a rentrant angle on each plate overlying the openings.3. A separator comprising strips having foramiiiated upper edges anddouble flanged lower edges to receive the foraminated edge of thesubjacent strip, the flanges constituting deflectors, said stri s beingsecuredv together along their meeting edges.

4. A separator. comprisinga series of strips superposed and united alonglongitudinal edges, the uniting edge of one strip being foraminated andthe cooperating edge of the adjacent strip having a double angularflange overlying the foraminated edge.

5. A separator comprising a series of strips superposed and unitedalonglongitudinal edges, one uniting edge being aforaminated and the otherhaving a rentrant angular flange forming a hipped deflector over theforaminaa of the subjacent strip.

1 6. A separator strip having one longitudinal edge foraminated, and theopposite edge I provided with a double flange disposed in hippedrelation.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

JosErH o. LUTHY.

